Gaming devices, such as slot machines, card game machines, keno machines, and other machines for wagering, have become a staple of the casino industry. Different aspects of gaming devices appeal to players and casino operators. Players appreciate lively, entertaining games that allow for a variety of game outcomes to keep their interest. Casino operators appreciate these qualities as well, because they attract players and result in repeat play, but casino operators further value gaming machines which allow for fast game resolution and a variety of types of wagering.
Players of gaming devices have various ways of determining which gaming devices are worth playing at particular times. For example, if a particular gaming device makes several payoffs in a short period of time, there will be a perception of that gaming device as a “hot” gaming device worth playing. There is, however, an incentive for a player playing a hot gaming device to continue playing that device, so that onlookers will not have the opportunity to try their own hands at the hot device. Further, many gaming devices use fairly simple games and controls, such as controls for merely initiating a spin of slot machine reels, or selecting cards from a dealt hand. Thus, players generally spend less than all of their attention on a single game. Both casino operators and players value gaming situations that engage players more completely, and the lack of alternative gaming modes for players to pay attention to results in a less engaging gameplay experience.
The combination of: (a) players spending less than all their attention on a single game; and (b) players noticing other “hot” machines, creates in players a feeling that they would rather be playing the games they are noticing rather than the games they are playing. There exists a need for a gaming system and method that more completely engages a player by providing an opportunity for a player to participate in the gaming on a particularly exciting machine.